Learned something..cheap lesson..

Marie and I went on the Fossil loop ride today, testing her new skills she got from a recent Reg Pridmore Class schooling at ORP. Her riding improved hugely, she is now very comfortable taking corners at a good clip and she's always been at ease on the straight stuff at speed..so we had a great time...

We pulled over at the Mountain Identifier just west of Condon, took a break on this gorgeous late summer Labor Day..But here was where I learned something.....Alway check your SIX as you pull out after a stop.... We left on that wide open road...and since Condon is about 4 miles from that pull out, I didn't bother with my earpiece for the radar detector...so, I go through the gears up to about 90 or so and then notch back to 75-80 and glance back to see if Marie's headlight is still in sight.... She is there, but behind her is a compact Chevy of some sort....pretty close on her...."Uh Oh!" I think..."No civilian car is going to be running at 80mph out here, catching up to a CBR....So I slow down to about 65...and sure enough, it is the Gilian Co. Sheriff deputy, right on Marie...He flashes his lights at her then goes around and comes up to me...I am about a mile up the road, rolling at about 65 now....He pulls us both over...and lets us off with a warning... I guess two gray hairs on sport bikes...maybe he cut us some slack...Says he clocked Marie at 85 and he knows she was trying to catch me up...so....

Now, If I'd checked my tail after pulling back onto the highway, I would have seen a car back there...and probably kept an eye on him...slowed down right away if I saw him keeping our pace or closing up on us.....

So, always check your Six when you pull onto even the most rural road...

Or watch for sneaky LEO's hiding behind speed limit signs. I was coming back from the Winthrop loop and was in Marblemount and thought the speed limit was still 60; got clocked doing 67 in a 35! Didn't know the speed limit was that until I saw him THEN saw the sign. He let me off off with a warning too.

I hate it when they pull out and follow you at night with all of their lights off. Have had that happen multiple times in Mason County, annoying.

On another note, Don, you still riding the Viffer? I'll have your old Hawk out at the Ridge later this month finally. Pulled the custom tank off and swapped seats from my stocker. Removed the lights for now so I don't trash them if I skid. Should be a blast.

...it is going to a new home in Maryland then...a buyer is flying to PDX to ride it home and leave me with enough cash to get back into another sportier ride....

I have decided I will never own another bike that I can't pick up alone when it tips over, like it did once, sinking it's kickstand into my yard... Really, I had to erect a scaffold over the VFR one morning after it tipped over, then hook a come-a-long to the bars to lift it upright.....I was afraid I would throw out my back, or worse, get the thing halfway upright and have it slip flat again.

I hope you enjoy that Hawk at the track.....I know I sure did and I was 'Jones'n" for it back, out at ORP last weekend when I went along to help my SO learn to ride better on her "new" 91 CBR at a Reg Pridmore Class. The Hawk would LOVE that neat little track....

While it is kinda fun to do those 350 mile days on a comfy and able bike like that VFR, and it's perfectly capable of really stupid highway and canyon road speeds, I really want another true sport bike, probably an older middle weight of some type that I can play with at the track sometimes. I just have not much interest in the "Touring" part of Sport touring....I like the agility of a Hawk, or a CBR, or ...if I were wealthy maybe a 675 Daytona...
Ciao Don Hanson

It took you almost two whole corners to disappear from view the other day. What a slug....

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Well, somebody had to make sure R-1 didn't get too lonesome...I think he likes seeing a headlight in his mirrors, someone he can himself make disappear. I do probably have 200+ laps of Eight Mile rd...though most were on my bicycle...you get time to 'study' each corner at 12mph....

I've yet to do the Fossil ride. Could you give a bit of detail about what the route is?

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There are some really curvy roads in eastern Oregon. One could spend days and days riding out there. Using Fossil as a destination for a mid-ride break, when leaving from The Dalles/Hood River area makes the ride about 325 miles, maybe 3 or four stop signs and very little traffic. Our route last time took us along SR 14 to Maryhill, cross the river at Biggs and up to Wasco through a canyon out of Rufus, Or. I won't describe everything along the way..too much.
From Wasco we went east through all the windfarms to Condon on 206. This is the place where we were caught from behind by the Gillian Co. deputy, who was very proud to mention that in HIS county, they had many fewer motorcycle accidents than Wheeler county, near Fossil... The 206-section is the least 'interesting' road, but the most spectacular long veiws of all the peaks, etc. We try to fuel up in Condon, there being a station near the intersection with un-alky-premium and a c-store. From Condon we took 19 into Fossil.

Fossil is small town. The Wolf ? Cafe has normal small cafe food, there is a General Store on the main street with benches and shade.. I hear gasoline can be problematic here, hence fueling at Condon when possible. There is no gas further on this loop till Maupin or Tygh Valley and those stations have limited hours. From Fossil, the fun really intensifys.

We took 218, heading towards Spray and Antelope..There are a couple of moderate mountain ranges and multiple beautiful corners between Fossil and Shaniko. It is really fun riding, with pretty good sight lines and not so much wildlife,traffic or enforcement. Be careful, though, because it IS an open public highway. Between Antelope and Shaniko is MY favorite section of road, hwy 218..a short but really twisty section.

From Shaniko back to The Dalles, there are many choices and lots of smaller side roads that are too numerous to mention. On hot days, a dip in the Deschutes River can be welcome. Maupin is a nice tourist town (Float Trips) Good gas on mainstreet during regular hours.

Looking at the Benchmark Road and Recreation Atlas...there are many more really twisty roads east of Fossil, too. Further exploration is indicated...

Thanks for the info. I'm planning rides soon to Mt. St. Helens and the Fossil loop. Gotta do it before the rain sets in. Since I am officially "between jobs", I've got the time to get out and ride some. Next week looks good, with lower temps in the forecast.

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PNW Riders is a motorcycle rider enthusiast community for all types of riders in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and the surrounding areas. Although we focus on regional Pacific Northwest riders, we often have members from the Midwest, East Coast and overseas enjoying the site. It doesn’t matter if you ride the street or the dirt, a sportbike or a cruiser, a super-motard or strictly race on the track - all motorcycle riders are welcome!